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Road racing is a sport that is synonymous with Northern Ireland. Down through the years, local riders have become some of our biggest and most popular sporting stars.

But alongside the racing there is another story. One that tells us about a passion for engineering and innovation that was born out of Ulster’s rich industrial past.

In The Motorcycle Mavericks, road racing photographer and journalist Stephen Davison delves into this rich history. He discovers how road racing was used to help put Northern Ireland on the map back in the 1920s and goes in search of the men – and women – who have helped shape the sport since that time.

Along the way Stephen meets many of our top racers, including six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea from Larne, Grand Prix winners Jeremy McWilliams from Belfast and Richard Creith from Bushmills, road racing legend Ray McCullough from Dromara and Jim Dunlop from the Ballymoney family forever associated with the sport.

Stephen also meets up with local racers Yvonne Montgomery and Melissa Kennedy to explore the role of women in the development of road racing, and explores the vital role played by innovators, engineers and entrepreneurs such as Harry Ferguson and Rex McCandless.

It is a journey in which Stephen uncovers a story of remarkable pioneers – many of them Ulster-Scots - who pursued and lived their dreams. It is the story of our motorcycle mavericks.